Major SA brands for Facebook Check-in Deals
2011-09-01 21:46
Cape Town - Facebook Check-in Deals has announced three major brands – Chevrolet, Cell C and Avis – as partners for its South African launch, the first into an emerging market.
Facebook Check-In Deals enables users to claim special discounts or rewards by “checking in” to particular stores or locations using their GPS-enabled smartphones.
“South Africa is a natural market for this – we are massive users of Facebook on our phones,” says Adrian Hewlett of Habari Media, Facebook’s local sales partner.
“There are 4.25 million active users in South Africa, of whom 3.1 million access Facebook through their mobiles. Another 425 000 check in to various places weekly.”
Power of location-based services
Hewlett says that unlike Facebook Deals, which has just closed after a four-month test in the US only, Check-in Deals concentrates on “connecting a company’s Facebook presence with its real-world presence”.
“It offers marketers a way to reward loyal customers and attract new ones, all by using the power of location-based services,” adds Hewlett.
“Check-In Deals will only be visible to people in the immediate vicinity, and only if they actively check in, so there is a high level of customer engagement”.
Hewlett notes that Check-In Deals have an advantage over group buying schemes in that business can decide on their own deals – there is no insistence on deep discounts – and on to whom and for how long to offer them.
“Customers can also redeem deal coupons instantly, without waiting for a deal to close. It’s very much personalised, one-to-one marketing, with a focus on building loyalty,” he says.
Deals
Four types of deals are available: Individual deals for one-off promotions, loyalty deals that can be claimed after a certain number of check-ins, friend deals for groups and charity deals in which the business donates to a charity for each check-in.
The launch partners have the exclusive right to carry the Facebook Check-in Deals logo until November, when the doors will be thrown open to other businesses.
“Any business with a Facebook page will be able to create its own deals quickly and easily through Habari Media,” says Hewlett. “It’s a great way to generate awareness, get feet in the door and build loyalty – and for the moment it’s free. We’re expecting to see rapid uptake especially in urban areas.”